Sacred Hunger

By: Barry Unsworth

Narrated by: David Rintoul

1752, the Liverpool Merchant sets sail from Merseyside. A slaver, she is bound for Africa to buy men and transport them in chains across the Atlantic. But aboard ship disease thrives in the cramped hold, killing men and eating into profit. Captain Thurso insists on throwing the sick overboard, to the horror of Matthew Paris, ship's surgeon, who determines to prevent such barbarity. Meanwhile, back home, Erasmus Kemp, cousin of Paris and son of the Liverpool Merchant's owner, finds his fortune hanging in the balance: dependent on the success or failure of a single voyage....

©1992 Barry Unsworth (P)2014 Audible, Inc.

Slavery and English Shipping in the 18th Century

This was a beautifully written story of a ship, its owners and crew that sailed to Africa to buy blacks for sale as slaves in the West Indies. The owner, his son and their acquaintances are part of one story. The crew and slaves provide a second parallel story. And, of course, the interconnections mold the drama and build to the conclusion. All was excellently done. I don't think that I would have completed this book had I tried to read it, however, listening to it was wonderful. The narrator was excellent.

Magisterial

Magnificent novel, brilliantly read by David Rintoul.....a superlative performance by a fine actor and reader.

Superb

This book takes a while to get in to but if you persevere you will be rewarded with remarkable writing,great narration and a wonderful story. I nearly gave up after 3 or 4 hours listening but I am delighted now that I didn't. One of the best audiobooks I have listened to.